Link and lever controlled slidable jaw wrench



Oct. 19, 1954 E. GREN 2,691,911

LINK AND LEVER CONTROLLED SLIDABLE JAW WRENCH Filed July 31. 1953 Fig. Fig.2

Elmer Gran IN V EN TOR.

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 LINK AND LEVER CONTROLLED SLIDABLE JAW WRENCH Elmer Gren, Elbow Lake, Minn.

Application July 31, 1953, Serial No. 371,538

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates in general to improvements in hand tools, and more specifically to an adjustable wrench.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable wrench of the clamping type, the adjustable wrench including a handle having disposed at the forward end there? of a fixed head, an adjustable head slidably mounted on the forward portion of the handle, and means carried by the handle for selectively positioning the adjustable head relative to the fixed head.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable wrench of the type having a fixed head and an adjustable head, the adjustable head being selectively positioned by means of an actuating member connected thereto by a link, the link being pivotally connected to both the actuating member and the adjustable head and being adjustable in length whereby the fixed head and adjustable head may be selectively clamped on objects of various sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable wrench which is of an extremely simple construction and which is formed of readily obtainable material so as to be economically feasible.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable wrench which includes a handle having a forward portion having formed at the forward end thereof a fixed head,

the handle also including an angnlarly disposed intermediate portion and an offset grip portion, the angularly disposed portion having pivotally connected thereto an actuating member, the actuating member being connected to a movable head carried by the forward portion of the handle by an adjustable link, the pivotal connections between the link and the movable head and actuating member, and the actuating member and the intermediate portion of the handle being in alignment with the movable head is in a gripping position.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the adjustable wrench which is the subject of this invention and shows the general construction of same in alternate position of the movable portion of the adjustable wrench being shown in guide lines, portions of the adjustable head of the wrench being broken away and showing sections in order to clearly illustrate the construction thereof;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the adjustable wrench, an intermediate portion of the adjustable link being broken away and showing the sections in order to clearly illustrate the manner in which it is adjusted; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-4 of Figure 1 which shows the general cross section of the adjustable wrench.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated the adjustable wrench which is the subject of this invention, the adjustable wrench being referred to in general by the reference numeral III. The adjustable wrench Hl includes an elongated handle which is referred to in general by the reference numeral I2. The elongated handle l2 includes an elongated forward portion I4 which has formed at the forward end thereof a fixed gripping head I6, the gripping head being provided on its rear face with transversely extending teeth III.

The handle l2 also includes an angularly disposed intermediate portion 28 which is integral with the forward portion I4. Formed integrally with the intermediate portion 20 is a grip portion 22, the grip portion 22 forming the rear part of the handle l2.

Slidably mounted on the forward portion I4 of the handle I2 is an adjustable gripping head which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 24. The adjustable gripping head 24 is complimentary to the fixed gripping head I E and includes a sleeve portion 26 through which passes the forward portion I4 of the handle I2. The sleeve portion 26 is slightly larger than the cross section of the forward portion I4 so as to permit angular disposition of the adjustable gripping head 24 relative to the handle I2. The adjustable gripping head 24 is normally retained in alignment with the forward portion I 4 by a spring 28 disposed within the sleeve 26 hearing against the forward portion Id of the handle I2 in the man ner best illustrated in Figure l. The adjustable gripping head 24 is provided with transversely extending teeth 30 which are intended to grip an opposite surface of an object to be turned with the wrench ID from that gripped by the teeth I8.

Pivotally connected to the intermediate portion 20 of the handle I2 by a pivot pin 32 is an actuating member which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 34. The actuating member 34 includes a rear grip portion 36 which is intended to overlie the grip portion 22 of the handle l2 when the adjustable gripping head 24 is in a gripping position. The actuating member 34 includes a bifurcated forward portion formed by a pair of space-parallel legs 38. The legs 38 are disposed on opposite sides of the intermediate portion 20 of the handle l2 and pivotally connected thereto by the pivot pin 32.

Extending between and connecting together the adjustable gripping head 24 and the actuating member 34 is an adjustable link which is re ferred to in general by reference numeral 40. The adjustable link 40 includes a tubular intermediate portion l2 which is internally threaded and which has threadedly engaged therein externally threaded rod members 44 and 46. The rod members 44 and 46' are oppositely threaded and pivotally connected to the adjustable gripping head 24 and the legs 38 of the actuating member 34 by pivot pins 48 and 56 respectively. The exterior of the tubular portion 32 is knurled to facilitate rotation thereof.

When it is desired to utilize the adjustable wrench II], the length of the link 40 is varied such that the adjustable gripping head 24 will be disposed closely adjacent an object to be gripped when the same is in engagement with the teeth I8 of the'fixed gripping head I6. It will be understood that the link 40 and the actuating member 34 will be in the positions illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 1. Then the actuating member 34 is pivoted to the position shown in forward lines in Figure 1 with the result that the link 46 moves to the position also illustrated in solid lines. This moves the adjustable gripping head 24 toward the fixed gripping head 26 so that an object to be rotated with the adjustable wrench I!) will be firmly gripped between the fixed gripping head l6 and the adjustable gripping head 24. When it is desired to release such an object, the actuating member 34 is again pivoted to the position shown in dotted lines, which results in the rearward movement of both the link 46 and the adjustable gripping head 24 to cause release'of such object. It'will be noted that when the adjustable gripping head 24 is in an object gripping position, such as illustrated by side lines in Figure l, the pivot pins 48, 50 and 32 are in alignment. Due to the align ment of these pivot pins, there is no possibility of the link 40 taking to the position illustrated in dotted lines to cause accidental release of the adjustable gripping head 24 from the member being gripped thereby. I

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limited the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A wrench of the character described comprising: a shank including an arcuate intermediate portion terminating in a handle, a stationary jaw on the outer end of the shank, an inner jaw slidable on the shank and cooperable with said stationary jaw, a forked lever pivotally mounted astraddle said arcuate portion of said shank and comprising a handle on one end swingable toward and away from. the first named handle; and a longitudinally adjustable link having one end portion pivotally secured between the legs of the forked lever and its other end portion pivotally connected to the inner jaw for operatively and adjustably connecting said lever 

